DIN­ING

Culi­nary Os­cars

In re­cent years, the Or­lando culi­nary scene has emerged as a world-class des­ti­na­tion, and vis­i­tors aren’t the only ones tak­ing no­tice. Sev­eral area restau­rants have got­ten a nod from the pres­ti­gious James Beard Foun­da­tion. And the Os­car goes to ... Nor­man Van Aken, who is said to be the founder of new world cui­sine, is the head chef of the Ritz-Carl­ton’s Nor­man’s and is the au­thor of sev­eral cook­books. Van Aken is the only Florida chef who’s been in­ducted into the James Beard Foun­da­tion’s list of “Who’s Who in Amer­i­can Food and Bev­er­age.” Nor­man’s has also been nom­i­nated for “Best Restau­rant in Amer­ica,” and Van Aken has been a semi-fi­nal­ist for “Best Chef in Amer­ica.” Scott Hun­nel of Walt Dis­ney World’s Grand Florid­ian land­mark Vic­to­ria & Al­bert’s has been a nom­i­nee for “Best Chef in the South” for seven years in a row. Vic­to­ria & Al­bert’s is the area’s only five-star restau­rant. James and Julie Petrakis of Win­ter Park’s South­ern sta­ples Rav­en­ous Pig and Cask and Larder have been nom­i­nated three years in a row. Other nom­i­nees in­clude Bran­don McGlamery of Luma on Park in Win­ter Park, Kevin Fonzo of K Restau­rant in Col­lege Park and Kath­leen Blake of the Rusty Spoon on Church Street down­town.